US3556213A

US3556213A - Pitless well adapter

Info

Publication number: US3556213A
Application number: US853094A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dean C Kramer
Original assignee: MARTINSON Manufacturing CO Inc
Current assignee: Campbell Manufacturing LLC
Priority date: 1969-08-26
Filing date: 1969-08-26
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19

Abstract

A pitless well adapter comprises an elongate body having a fitting in its lower end for connection to the well pipe and having a fitting at the upper end for connection to a pull pipe. The body has two end flanges and a central flange, and the exterior surface between these flanges presents two tapered portions. One tapered portion flares downwardly and outwardly from the upper end flange, while the other tapered portion flares downwardly and outwardly from the central flange. When the adapter is installed, O-ring seals will roll along the flared surfaces and seat within grooves, so that the adapter is mounted in sealed relation within the well casing.

Description

UnitedStates Patent Inventor Dean C. Kramer Mason City, Iowa Appl. No. 853,094 Filed Aug. 26, 1969 Patented Jan. 19, 1971 Assignee Martinson Manufacturing Co., Inc.

Sheffield, Iowa a corporation of Iowa PITLESS WELL ADAPTER 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[1.5. CI... 166/88 Int. Cl EZlb 33/03 Field of Search 166/85, 88

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,065,792 11/1962 Andrew 166/88 3,380,533 4/1968 Andrew 3,403,730 10/1968 Williams Primary Examiner.lames A. Leppink Attorney-Williamson, Palmatier and Bains ABSTRACT: A pitless well adapter comprises an elongate body having a fitting in its lower end for connection to the well pipe and having a fitting at the upper end for connection to a pull pipe. The body has two end flanges and a central flange, and the exterior surface between these flanges presents two tapered portions. One tapered portion flares downwardly and outwardly from the upper end flange, while the other tapered portion flares downwardly and outwardly from the central flange. When the adapter is installed, O-ring seals will roll along the flared surfaces and seat within grooves, so that the adapter is mounted in sealed relation within the well casing.

seated relation during installation of the adapter to thereby facilitate installation of the pitless adapter. The O-ring seals engage the interior surface of the well casing so that the outlet of the adapter is effectively sealed-fromthe exterior. The O- rings are loosely positioned around the body and are sealingly interposed between the adapter and the well=casing only when seated in the grooves of the adapter body." With this arrangement, the O-ring s'ealsmay be urgedpast obstructions in the well casing during installation because of the unique construction of the pitless well adapter body.

Suitable recesses are provided in the pitless well adapter body so thatshifting the well adapter slightly upwardly, the rings which are snugly, seated within the annular grooves in the body, will move into the, recesses and permit removal of the adapter from the well casing. The present pitless well adapter is therefore adapted for easy installation and removal from a well casing, as .well as providing ahighly efficient sa sealed coupling between the well pipeand the lateral line.

BRIEF oescmprionor THE FIGURES OF d DRAWING Q j FIG. I is a vertical sectional view'of the novel pitless well adapter illustrated in an initial position during sin installation thereof; a l y I F1602 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the pitless well adapter in anintermediate positionduring installation 7 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. l and 2 but illustrating the pitless well adapter in the installed position; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to theprevious views but illustrating the relationship of the parts during removal of the pitless well adapter from the well casing. t

DETAILED DESCRlPllON or THE'INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that one embodiment of d the, novel pitless well adapter, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, is there shown. This pitless well adapteris of the type which serves to couple the conduit connected to the submersible pump with the lateral line or conduit which is positioned below the frost line. With this arrangement, it will be noted that the well casing l l is provided with a lateral outlet fitting l2 which, as shown, is located below the frost line L, and the lateral conduit is adapted to be connected in communicating relation to this fitting. The well casing projects slightly above the surface of the ground, and the pitless well adapter is introduced through the upper end of the casing and intercommunicates the conduit connected to the submersible pump with the lateral conduit.

The pitless well adapter includes an elongate hollow body 13 preferably formed of a suitablerigid material such as metal, plastic or the like, and having an internal wall 14 integrally formed therewith which divides the interior-of the body into a chamber 15 and a chamber 16. The lower end portion of the body has an integrally threaded fitting 17 formed thereat which actually defines the inlet .of the pitless well adapter. It will be noted that the internal wall 14 together with a depending portion of the body actually forms the fitting 17. The fitting 17 is connected to the upper threaded end of a con duit 18 which extends downwardly into the wellcasing and is connected at its lower end in communicating relation with respect to a submersible pump (not shown).

The upper end of the body 13 has an internal threaded fitting l9 integrally formed therewith which is connected in threaded relation with the lower threaded end of a riser or pull pipe 20. The upper end portion of the pull pipe is provided with a coupling 21 and this coupling maybe closed by a suitable plug when the pitless well adapter is in a completely installed position or it may be connected'to other lengths of pull pipe during installation and removailof the adapter. When the adapter is in the installed position, the coupling 21 engages a retainer member 22 .-in sealed relation therewith, the retainer sealingly engaging the upper end of the well casing. It will be noted that the fitting-I7 and the fitting l9 ar disposed in coaxial relation with respect to each other and that an opening 23 formed at the lower end ofthe body at one side of the fitting 17. This opening communicates with the chamber-l6, and electrical conductors 24 extend upwardly from the pump through the opening 23 and extend through the chamberl6 and finally through pipe 20. These conductors are connectedto a source of electrical'current to operate the pump in a well known manner. It will be noted that the conduit '18 is intercommunicated with the chamber 15 and is sealed with respect to the chamber 16.

The body .13 is provided with an. upper annular flange 25 which is integrally formed therewith and which projects outwardly therefrom adjacent the upper end thereof. A lower annular flange 26 is integrally formed with-the body adjacent the lower end thereof and projects radially outwardly therefrom. An intermediate flange 27 is integrally formed with the body intermediate the ends thereof and projects outwardly therefrom. The intermediate flange 27 is spaced equidistant from the

flanges

25 and 26. It will benoted that the flanges are of the same size and are of a size substantially smaller than the interior of the casing. lt will also be noted that the body has an annular groove or seat 30 which is located adjacent but spaced from the intermediate flange 27. The: lower tapered portion 29 terminates downwardly in a lower annular groove or seat 31 which is spaced from but closely adjacent the lower flange 26. It is pointed out the 'length of the upper tapered portion is identical to the length of the lower tapered portion. lt is also pointed out that the upper and lower tapered portions are of substantially identical frustoconical configuration.

An upper annular recess 32 is located between the lower end of the upper tapered portion and flange 27, and a lower annular recess 33 is located between the lower flange 26 and the lower tapered portion 29. The cross-sectional size of the body through the recesses is substantially smaller than the size of the body through the tapered portions including the seats or grooves in the tapered portions. An upper annular O-ring 34 engages in the seat or groove 30 anda lower O-ring seal 35 engages in the seat or groove 31 when the adapter is in the fully installed position. When so installed, it will be noted that the O-rings sealingly engage the inner surface of the well casing, as best seen in FIG. 3, to define an exterior chamber 36 that communicates with the opening 15a in the body 10 and communicates with the outlet 12 in thecasing.

During installation of the pitless well adapter, the fitting 12 of the casing II will be connected in communicating relation with a lateral conduit. The pitless well adapter will have its lower fitting 17 connected to the conduit 18 which in turn is connected to the pump. The fitting 19 will be connected to the pull pipe 20. The coupling 21 of the pull pipe, with the plug removed, may be connected to additional pull pipe sections as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The 0-ring 34 will be loosely positionedaround the upper tapered portion while the O-ring 35 will be loosely positioned around the lower tapered portion. In this regard, O-ring 34 will be positioned against the upper end flange 25 while the lower O-ring 35 will be positioned against the lower surface of the intermediate flange 27.

As the pitless well adapter is inserted into the casing, the rings will slide along the interior of the well casing and because of the loose arrangement of the O-rings with respect to the body, these O-rings will traverse any inwardly projecting obstructions such as a weld or the like. This is very important during the installation of a pitless well adapter. These O- rings will be -'held against the respective upper and intermediate flanges respectively until the pitless well adapter is moved downwardly beyond its correctly located position, as

. best seen in FIG. 2. Thus the adapter is lowered to a point below the lateral outlet and this distance corresponds to the length of the respective tapered portions. Thereafter, when the adapter is pulled in an upward direction into the correct position, the O-rings are rolled downwardly along the tapered portion and will seat in the upper end lower grooves or seats, as best seen in FIG. 3. When this occurs, the exterior chamber 36 is defined between the well casing and the exterior surface of the body, and this exterior chamber intercommunicates with the opening a and the lateral opening in the casing. Thus water under pressure passing upwardly through the conduit 18 will circulate through the exterior chamber 36 as well as the interior chamber 15 and this pressure condition will prevent any tendency of water from the exterior from seeping 3 into the chamber 36. However, the O-

rings

34 and 35 provide excellent seals to seal against any seepage of water or the like into the chamber 36. As pointed out above, the upper end of the casing is also sealingly closed. However, the well itself may be vented through the pull pipe since certain state codes require venting of the well.

In the event that it is desirable to remove the adapter from the well casing, it is merely necessary to pull upwardly on the pull pipe and the two O-rings will then drop into the

recesses

32 and 33, respectively, and the adapter may thereafter be very easily pulled from the well casing.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that l have provided a novel pitless well adapter of single-piece construction which utilizes a pair of O-ring seals to seal the adapter in place in the well casing.

It will further be noted that the uniquely constructed body of the pitless well adapter permits installation of the adapter even though the well casing may have inwardly projecting obstructions. My novel pitless well adapter not only permits precise location of the adapter with respect to the lateral outlet but also is arranged and constructed to facilitate ready removal of the adapter from the well casing.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a pitless well adapter which is not only of simple and inexpensive construction but one which functions in a more efficient manner than any heretofore known comparable device.

' lclaim:

l. A pitless well adapter for use within a well casing having a lateral outlet therein located below the surface of the ground,

comprising:

a hollow elongate body adapted to be vertically oriented in awell casing; J

an internal wall located interiorlyof said body and integral therewith and dividing the interior into a pair of chambers, one of said chambers having an outlet opening therein for communicating witha lateral outlet in the well casing; Y 1

means at the lower end of said body defining an inlet communicating with said one chamber and adapted to be connected in communicating relation with a conduit connected to a submerged pump; i

an outwardly projecting upper element integrally formed with said body adjacent the upper end thereof;

an outwardly projecting lower element integrally formed with said body adjacent the lower end thereof;

an intermediate element integral with said body intermediate the ends thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom;

said body having an exterior surface including a first portion increasing in crosssectional size from said upper element to ad acent the intermediate element, a second portion increasing in cross-sectional size from said intermediate element to adjacent said lower element;

said first tapered portion terminating downwardly in annular groove;

said second portion terminating downwardly in a-seco'nd annular groove;

a pair of yieldable O-ring members one of which is seated in said first annular groove and the other of which is seated in said second annular groove and being engageable in sealing relation with the inner surface of a well casing when the adapter is positioned therein to defineasealed chamber including said one chamber and intercommu nicating said outlet opening with the lateral outletin the casing; and 1" attachment means at the upper end of said tubular body adapted to be connected to the lower end of a pull pipe.

2. The pitless well adapter as defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion and said second portion each has substantially the same length dimension and each uniformly increases in crosssectional size in a downward direction.

3. The pitless well adapter as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper, lower, and intermediate elements each comprises an annular flange integral with the body projecting outwardly therefrom, and said flanges are of substantially the same size.

4. The pitless well adapter as defined in claim 1 and a first annular recess in the exterior surface of said body located between said intermediate element and said first annular groove, and a second annular recess in the exterior surface of said body located between said lower element and said second annular groove.

Claims

1. A pitless well adapter for use within a well casing having a lateral outlet therein located below the surface of the ground, comprising: a hollow elongate body adapted to be vertically oriented in a well casing; an internal wall located interiorly of said body and integral therewith and dividing the interior into a pair of chambers, one of said chambers having an outlet opening therein for communicating with a lateral outlet in the well casing; means at the lower end of said body defining an inlet communicating with said one chamber and adapted to be connected in communicating relation with a conduit connected to a submerged pump; an outwardly projecting upper element integrally formed with said body adjacent the upper end thereof; an outwardly projecting lower element integrally formed with said body adjacent the lower end thereof; an intermediate element integral with said body intermediate the ends thereof and projecting outwardly therefrom; said body having an exterior surface including a first portion increasing in cross-sectional size from said upper element to adjacent the intermediate element, a second portion increasing in cross-sectional size from said intermediate element to adjacent said lower element; said first tapered portion terminating downwardly in a first annular groove; said second portion terminating downwardly in a second annular groove; a pair of yieldable O-ring members one of which is seated in said first annular groove and the other of which is seated in said second annular groove and being engageable in sealing relation with the inner surface of a well casing when the adapter is positioned therein to define a sealed chamber including said one chamber and intercommunicating said outlet opening with the lateral outlet in the casing; and attachment means at the upper end of said tubular body adapted to be connected to the lower end of a pull pipe.

2. The pitless well adapter as defined in claim 1 wherein said first portion and said second portion each has substantially the same length dimension and each uniformly increases in cross-sectional size in a downward direction.